Committee Decisions

CONF 010 VI.29

Consideration of Public Information Activities

In reporting on the work of the sub-Committee, its Chairman outlined the objectives of the proposed public information programme, in the following terms. Firstly, the programme should focus upon the aims of the Convention, the work of the Committee, the criteria for the inclusion of sites in the World Heritage List and the types of assistance available to States under the Convention, providing examples of assistance already granted; the World Heritage List should be de-emphasized until such time as there were sufficient sites on the List to make it appear truly representative of the world's heritage. Secondly, the programme should be at two levels, international and national. At the international level, UNESCO, ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN channels and facilities should be used. At the national level, States adhering to the Convention should be encouraged to promote the Convention through their governmental machinery. The Canadian Government Booklet on the Convention, distributed to delegates, was noted as a good example of a national governmental initiative. The assistance of non-governmental organizations in each State should also be enlisted by States to promote the objectives of the Convention; these would include not only the national committees of international organizations such as ICOMOS and IUCN, but also other conservation-oriented non-governmental organizations. The Chairman of the sub-Committee then proceeded to present suggestions for a three-year public information programme.